What began as a Gen Z-led social media movement against the lavish lifestyles of “Nepo Kids” led to the ousting of a Prime Minister and the deadliest social unrest Nepal has seen in years.

Plumes of dark smoke towered above soldiers enforcing a curfew on the quiet streets of Kathmandu Wednesday morning as rumors swirled about a possible meeting between the leaderless Gen Z movement, the army and the president.

An uneasy calm, after two nights of chaos that saw tens of thousands of people pour out into the streets to vent their fury, setting fire to parliament and the Supreme Court – key symbols of state – and clashing with the government forces sent to keep them under control.

The unrest started in early September, when a group of young Nepalis, fed up with seeing politicians’ children posting about their designer handbags and luxury travel while most people struggle to make ends meet, organized a peaceful protest.

Anger had been brewing for years about the country’s worsening youth unemployment crisis and lack of economic opportunities, exacerbated by what many viewed as a growing disparity between the country’s elite and regular people.

Word quickly spread in the Himalayan country of 30 million. Then, a government ban last week on more than two dozen social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp added fuel to the fire.

Source:Cnn